Bills Notes: Woods, McCoy, Williams, Taylor
It appears likely that Robert Woods‘ season will come to an early end. The Bills wide receiver suffered a groin injury, and head coach Rex Ryan told reporters today that it’s “safe to say” it’s a pretty severe one (Twitter link via Joe Buscaglia of WKBW). While the team hasn’t made anything official yet, Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that Woods will be placed on injured reserve.
With Woods out, there’s “probably a good chance” of Dezmin Lewis being promoted from the Bills’ practice squad to their active roster, according to Ryan (Twitter link via Buscaglia). As we wait for a formal announcement from the club on that roster move, let’s round up a few more items out of Buffalo….
- While Woods’ season is probably done, it sounds like LeSean McCoy may get back on the field sometime in the last two weeks. Per Getlin (Twitter link), there are no plans at this time to shut down the running back. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network adds (via Twitter) that McCoy’s MCL sprain may sideline him for Week 16, but he’s expected to be fine for Week 17.
- Bills safety Aaron Williams, who is currently on IR with the designation to return due to a neck injury, won’t return to action this season, Ryan said today (link via ESPN’s Mike Rodak). Williams will continue to practice while he remains on IR.
- Addressing a pair of reports that surfaced over the weekend, Ryan denied any sort of rift between him and general manager Doug Whaley, adding that he has a “great deal of respect” for the Bills’ GM. Ryan also dismissed the idea that anyone within the organization doubted whether Mario Williams was sick last week, suggesting that story was “made up” (all Twitter links via Buscaglia).
- Ryan was also asked about Williams’ comments from Sunday, in which the defensive end didn’t express any openness to the idea of accepting a pay cut to remain in Buffalo. While the Buffalo head coach said he’d love to have Williams – and everyone else on the team – back next season, he acknowledged that change is a part of the NFL offseason (Twitter link via Buscaglia).
- Ryan gave Tyrod Taylor another vote of confidence, telling reporters that the team is “pretty sure” of who its quarterback will be heading into 2016 (Twitter link via Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News).
- Bills outside linebacker Randell Johnson sustained a high ankle sprain, and doesn’t have a great chance to play in Week 16, tweets Buscaglia. Johnson may be a candidate for IR.
Falcons Reach Injury Settlement With Jon Asamoah
The Falcons have reached an injury settlement with veteran guard Jon Asamoah, the team announced today in a press release. The transaction will remove Asamoah from Atlanta’s injured reserve list, making him a free agent.
Asamoah, 27, spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Chiefs, after being selected by Kansas City in the third round of the 2010 draft. He parlayed 41 starts at right guard for the Chiefs into a five-year, $22.5MM deal with the Falcons in 2014. However, after starting 15 games for Atlanta last season, Asamoah landed on injured reserve this year prior to the start of the 2015 campaign due to a hip issue. He also wasn’t viewed as a fit under the new coaching staff’s zone-blocking scheme.
Asamoah’s contract still featured $3.9MM in dead money after the 2015 season, so the Falcons figure to carry a chunk of money on their 2016 cap for the offensive lineman. But, depending on what the injury settlement looks like, the club should be off the hook for the rest of his contract, including his $3.5MM salary and $500K in roster bonuses for 2016.
The fact that the Falcons had to complete an injury settlement with Asamoah rather than simply release him from IR suggests that he’s not healthy yet, so I wouldn’t expect him to sign with a new club until the offseason.
East Notes: K. Moore, M. Williams, Bills
After seeing his first action of the season on Saturday night against the Jets, Cowboys quarterback Kellen Moore will get the start for Dallas in Week 16, head coach Jason Garrett confirmed today (Twitter link via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). Unlike teammate Matt Cassel, Moore remains under contract with the Cowboys through the 2016 season, so if he can finish strong this year, he should receive consideration for the role of Tony Romo‘s backup going forward.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- With his cap number set to increase to $19.9MM in 2016, Bills defensive end Mario Williams looks like a candidate to be released this offseason, particularly after the trouble he has had adjusting to Rex Ryan‘s defensive scheme. While a pay cut could be an option for Williams, he doesn’t sound like someone interested in taking one for the team, as Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News writes. “If this is the turnout of our defense, how does that even sound right?” Williams asked on Sunday, when the possibility of a pay cut was mentioned.
- Meanwhile, after the Bills lost again on Sunday to fall to 6-8 on the season, Ryan suggested that “drastic changes” may await the club this offseason. Matthew Fairburn of Syracuse.com has the details and the quotes from the Buffalo head coach.
- DeMarco Murray received just two touches in Sunday’s night game against Arizona, which looks like the latest sign that the Eagles may consider simply cutting their losses with the unproductive running back this offseason, says Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Mike Sando speaks to agents and NFL team salary-cap managers about what sort of salaries we should expect for quarterbacks like Washington‘s Kirk Cousins ($15MM per year), the Jets‘ Ryan Fitzpatrick ($8-12MM), and the Eagles‘ Sam Bradford (projections were “all over the map”).
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald questions what interim Dolphins coach Dan Campbell has done to deserve an interview for the team’s permanent head coaching job.
49ers Notes: Carradine, Davis, York
The 49ers rallied back from a 24-0 deficit against the Bengals to make it look respectable, but they got beaten pretty bad to fall to 4-10 on the season, clinching last place in the NFC West. Without much to root for in San Francisco, here are a few storylines to follow as we come to the final two weeks of the season.
- 49ers defensive lineman Tank Carradine isn’t known as an edge rusher, but he has been remaking his body in order to be more of an explosive pass rusher from the outside, according to CSNBayArea.com. Carradine is currently at 295 pounds, but hopes to eventually play at his more natural weight of 260 or 265 pounds. He is in a contract year next season, and wants to make an impact as a pass rushing defensive end or outside linebacker.
- The 49ers might be in need of some running back depth with Shaun Draughn dealing with an injury. Fortunately, Mike Davis is eligible to return from IR-DTR this week, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter).
- While the majority of the team’s fans are likely looking ahead to 2016, 49ers CEO Jed York won’t talk about any potential changes until after the season, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter). David Fucillo of NinersNation.com hopes that the conversation York has after the season includes drastic changes across the coaching staff.
Injury Updates: McCoy, Mariota, Albert
We’ll keep track of the latest injury news here, with the newest updates added to the top of the list…
- While Albert should be fine after suffering a knee injury during the loss in San Diego, Dolphins center Mike Pouncey wasn’t so lucky. He left the game with his foot stabilized in a boot, and he will be out for the remainder of the season, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
Earlier Updates
- LeSean McCoy‘s knee injury appears to be a minor MCL sprain, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (via Twitter). He is expected to be listed day-to-day by the Bills.
- Marcus Mariota will have an MRI on Monday after injuring his knee against the Patriots, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). The Titans believe he suffered an MCL injury. With Zach Mettenberger the only other passer on the roster, Tennessee will likely add a quarterback this week.
- Dolphins left tackle Branden Albert left the game with a knee injury, and Dallas Thomas was exploited replacing him, according to James Walker of ESPN (via Twitter). With Thomas struggling, the Dolphins will need to make a move if if they want to give any chance to Ryan Tannehill and the offense.
- Another big name left tackle went down with an injury in the Seahawks’ Russell Okung, who was doubtful to return with a calf injury, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
- 49ers running back Shaun Draughn exited the game with a knee injury, according to Eric Branch (via Twitter). Draugn has been the leading ball-carrier for the 49ers the last five games after being acquired from Cleveland. With Carlos Hyde and Reggie Bush already out, the 49ers will have to dig deep on the roster to find a new starting running back.
Community Tailgate: AFC Wild Card Race
As the NFL regular season nears its home stretch, there are plenty of topics and storylines to discuss, and PFR’s Community Tailgate is designed to address those stories. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. We’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.
Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.
With two weeks to go (plus the Week 15 Sunday night and Monday night games), six teams have already clinched their playoff berths. The Panthers, Cardinals, Packers, and Seahawks will be playing in the postseason in the NFC, and Patriots and Bengals have guaranteed spots in the AFC.
While that means half of the playoff spots have been filled, there are still a group of teams fighting for those final six postseason berths this season. In the NFC one of those spots will go to the winner of the NFC East, while the Vikings heave a nice lead over the rest of the also rans in that conference. Atlanta could potentially sneak in if they end up tied with both the Vikings and the Seahawks, but the Vikings own the head-to-head advantage.
In the AFC there is a little more drama. One of those four available spots will belong to the winner of the AFC South, which will be either the Texans or Colts. The Texans have the advantage after winning head-to-head today, but with quarterback woes nothing is guaranteed over the next two weeks.
The Chiefs, Steelers, and Jets are all in the running for a wild-card berth. At 9-5 across the board, all three teams have put themselves in a great position record wise to make the playoffs. The Bills and Raiders would be the closest wild-card competitors, and both have been mathematically eliminated with losses today.
The Jets are currently on the outside looking in, despite having identical overall records. Should all three teams finish with the same record, the Chiefs and Steelers will get the nod via tiebreakers. The Chiefs prevail in a three-way tie based on conference record, and the Steelers get in over the Jets based on record in common games.
The Jets also have arguably the toughest remaining matchup as they face the Patriots in Week 16. Kansas City gets the Browns and Raiders, while the Steelers finish with the Ravens and Browns. It would seem that the Jets would have to beat the Patriots and the Bills, and hope either the Chiefs or Pittsburgh drop a game. If the Jets lose to the Patriots, they would need to beat the Bills and hope one of those teams go winless the rest of the season.
Two of those three teams will likely find themselves playing in the first round of the playoffs, but there is still a chance all three teams make it into the tournament. If the Chiefs were to win the AFC West outright, the Jets could tie the Broncos and would own certain tiebreakers over them, depending on how exactly things break out around the league. It seems unlikely as the Broncos have been presumed AFC West champs for a while, but a tough game against the Bengals followed by a Week 17 matchup with San Diego could knock them off their perch.
What do you think? How do you the see the last two weeks of the regular season playing out in the AFC? Who are your picks for the two wild card teams? Can the Chiefs overtake the Broncos in the AFC West, leaving the Jets with another chance to get in? Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts!
PFR Originals: 12/13/15 – 12/20/15
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- In our latest Community Tailgate post, Luke Adams asked readers to weigh in on several tight division races. In the NFC, the North and East are still up for grabs, while in the AFC, the North, South, and West could all conceivably see a shake-up before now and the end of the regular season.
- Luke also outlined how you can follow specific players on PFR.
La Canfora’s Latest: Dalton, Falcons, Manning
As the second slate of games near halftime, lets’s take a look at the latest from Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com…
- Andy Dalton‘s recent thumb injury could end up costing the Bengals quarterback millions of dollars in escalators, according to La Canfora. Per clauses in Dalton’s six-year, $96MM extension, he can earn extra cash by playing in 80% of Cincinnati’s snaps during the regular season, while separate escalators are tied to his playing (and winning) in each successive round of the postseason. All told, writes La Canfora, Dalton could add $15MM to his current deal, but those plateaus are obviously at risk now.
- Falcons ownership is growing frustrated with the club’s lack of success and is considering firing general manager Thomas Dimitroff, writes La Canfora, who adds that Seahawks director of pro personnel Trent Kirchner and Vikings assistant GM George Paton could each be strong candidates to fill the position (each has a professional history with Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn). It sounds like current AGM Scott Pioli (a Dimitroff friend) could also be on the chopping block.
- Major changes could also be coming to the Titans staff, and rumors persist that Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning could land in Tennessee as something of a football czar, with former NFL exec Bill Polian (who drafted Manning) as team president. In such a scenario, Polian’s son Chris could act as general manager, while Jaguars assistant Doug Marrone or Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase would be candidates to serve as head coach.
Week In Review: 12/13/15 – 12/20/15
The headlines from the past week at PFR:
Key News:
- The Packers and defensive end Mike Daniels agreed to a four-year, $42MM extension.
- Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton suffered a fractured thumb and is out indefinitely; he won’t need surgery, and the best-case scenario has Dalton returning for the playoffs.
- Despite previously expressing his plans to retire after the season, Ravens receiver Steve Smith is now expected to return in 2016.
Extended:
- Chiefs – Jah Reid, T (through 2018)
Waivers:
- Dolphins – claimed DE Damontre Moore from the Giants (link)
- Patriots – claimed Leonard Hankerson, WR from the Falcons and LaAdrian Waddle, T from the Lions (link)
Waived:
- Colts – Todd Herremans, G (link)
Signed:
- Giants – Barry Cofield, DT (link)
- Panthers – Robert McClain, CB (link)
- Ravens – Ryan Mallett, QB (link)
- Saints – Kendall Hunter, RB (link)
- Seahawks – Bryce Brown, RB (link) and Christine Michael, RB (link)
Injuries:
- Bears – Antrel Rolle, S (link)
- Bills – Stephon Gilmore, CB (IR)
- Browns – Joe Haden, CB (IR) and Brian Hartline, WR (IR)
- Lions – Brandon Pettigrew, TE (IR)
- Patriots – LeGarrette Blount, RB (IR) and Dominique Easley, DT (IR)
- Raiders – Austin Howard, T (IR)
- Seahawks – Thomas Rawls, RB (IR)
- Titans – Derrick Morgan, LB (IR)
Sunday Roundup: Cowboys, RGIII, Pagano
Let’s take a look at some links from around the league while waiting for the murky playoff picture to begin to sort itself out:
- Although Kellen Moore did not exactly set the world ablaze in the Cowboys‘ loss to the Jets last night, he nearly helped his team to an upset victory and demonstrated that he is a better option than Matt Cassel moving forward. However, as ESPN’s Todd Archer writes, head coach Jason Garrett is as yet unwilling to name Moore the starter for the final two games of the season. The Cowboys will need to address the backup quarterback situation behind Tony Romo next year, and it makes sense for the club to at least see what it has in Moore.
- Last night’s loss officially eliminated the Cowboys from playoff contention, so owner Jerry Jones expects the team to put Romo on injured reserve, according to Charen Williams of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter).
- Washington has made it clear that it is ready to move on from Robert Griffin III, but Ian Rapoport (article via Conor Orr of NFL.com) identifies a number of teams that may be interested in RGIII. That list includes the Cowboys, Eagles, Texans, and Saints (or whichever team happens to employ Sean Payton).
- While Chuck Pagano‘s future in Indianapolis is still very much up in the air, if the Colts do decide to part ways with him, Rapoport says that he would immediately become one of the most sought-after head coaching candidates in the league. Although Pagano has previously said the Colts job would be his last coaching gig, there will apparently be no shortage of teams trying to change his mind.
- Although things could change in the next several weeks, Mark Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com suggests that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is growing increasingly weary of his team’s performance and could be leaning towards a “clean sweep” that would see both head coach Mike Pettine and GM Ray Farmer lose their jobs. We had previously heard that one of Farmer or Pettine would be fired, but not both.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says the NFL-to-Los Angeles process is getting uglier by the minute, with “members of the league’s Los Angeles committee making promises to St. Louis in an effort to keep the Rams there and publicly trashing San Diego in an effort to get the Chargers out.” Florio suggests one way to placate all parties involved may be to have Chargers owner Dean Spanos and Rams owner Stan Kroenke swap their franchises, much like the Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams were swapped in 1972. The entire article is worth reading, and although Florio concedes it is something of an outlandish idea, he suggests it could gain traction as we get closer to the critical owners meetings in January. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, however, was quick to throw cold water on that notion (via Twitter).
- According to Rapoport (via Twitter) Leonard Hankerson, who was claimed by the Patriots this week, was released by the Falcons off the injured reserve list when he told Atlanta that he was healthy and wanted to be cut. The Falcons obliged, and now Hankerson is suited up for New England this afternoon.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com looks at the 2016 class of free agent cornerbacks.